ROutwardly complied while harboring disloyal intentions; drove out Lai GongWu 7 §71Wu 4 §43
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as Administrator of CangwuCh. 42 §36
Wu Chen 吳臣
| Occupation | RNGeneral · Administrator of Cangwu | Faction | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Appears | RN | Biography in | |
| Born | Native place | Changsha Commandery | |
| Cause of death | RKilled Unverified | ||
| Existence | Historical | Mentions | R7 |
Profile
Wu Chen was the Administrator of Cangwu sent by Liu Biao, Governor of Jing Province, at the end of the Later Han. In Chen Shou's main text of the Records his name is written as Wu Ju (吳巨); he has no biography of his own and appears in the biographies of Shi Xie and Bu Zhi and in a memorial by Xue Zong. Xue Zong's memorial calls him a man of Changsha and records that he was a rash and fierce military man. Records, Wu 4 §41Records, Wu 7 §71Records, Wu 8 §39
When Shi Huang, Administrator of Cangwu, died, Liu Biao sent him to replace Shi Huang, and when he fell out with Lai Gong, who had gone with him, he raised troops and drove Lai Gong out. After Sun Quan sent Bu Zhi as Inspector of Jiao Province in the 15th year of Jian'an (210), he was beheaded by Bu Zhi on the grounds that he harbored disloyal intentions. Records, Wu 4 §41 · 43Records, Wu 7 §71–72
Chen Shou's assessments do not mention him. In the Romance he appears in Chapter 42, in Zhuge Liang's words, as the Administrator of Cangwu on whom Liu Bei intends to rely because of an old friendship; he appears in 1 of the 120 chapters, and his name does not appear in any chapter title. Records, Wu 4 §51Records, Wu 7 §100Records, Wu 8 §63Romance, Ch. 42 §36
In the Records
According to the biography of Shi Xie, after Zhu Fu, Inspector of Jiao Province, died, the Han sent Zhang Jin as Inspector of Jiao Province, but Zhang Jin was later killed by his own general Ou Jing. Liu Biao, Governor of Jing Province, sent Lai Gong of Lingling to replace Zhang Jin. At this time Shi Huang, Administrator of Cangwu, died, and Liu Biao also sent Wu Ju to replace him, and Wu Ju arrived together with Lai Gong. The Han court issued Shi Xie an edict saying that the rebel Liu Biao had again sent Lai Gong to spy on the southern lands, and made Shi Xie General of the Household Who Pacifies the South to supervise seven commanderies. Records, Wu 4 §41
Later Wu Ju fell out with Lai Gong and raised troops to drive him out. Lai Gong fled back to Lingling. Records, Wu 4 §43
According to the biography of Bu Zhi, in the 15th year of Jian'an (210) Bu Zhi went out to hold concurrently the post of Administrator of Poyang, and within that year was transferred to Inspector of Jiao Province and General of the Household Who Establishes Martial Might, and went straight south leading a thousand armed officers. The following year he was further appointed General of the Household Who Conquers the South, bearing the Credentials. Wu Ju, the Administrator of Cangwu appointed by Liu Biao, secretly harbored disloyal intentions, outwardly complying while inwardly defying him. Records, Wu 7 §71
Bu Zhi humbled himself to coax him and asked to meet him, and on that occasion beheaded him and displayed his head, so that his authority and fame resounded greatly. Shi Xie and his brothers led one another in accepting his orders, and Chen Shou wrote that the submission of the southern lands began from this time. The biography of Shi Xie also records that when Bu Zhi arrived Shi Xie led his brothers in accepting his command, but that Wu Ju harbored disloyal intentions and so Bu Zhi beheaded him. Records, Wu 7 §72Records, Wu 4 §43
Later, when Lü Dai was recalled from Jiao Province, Xue Zong, fearing that his successor would not be the right man, submitted a memorial. The memorial said that Lai Gong of Lingling was a benevolent and careful man of the older generation but did not understand the affairs of the times, and that Liu Biao also sent Wu Ju of Changsha as Administrator of Cangwu, but Wu Ju, a rash and fierce military man, would not submit to Lai Gong; they came to resent each other and Wu Ju drove Lai Gong out, and that was why Bu Zhi was requested. Records, Wu 8 §32 · 39
Chen Shou's main text does not record Wu Ju's courtesy name, the year of his birth or the year of his death. The assessments of Records of Wu 4, which contains the biography of Shi Xie, Records of Wu 7, which contains the biography of Bu Zhi, and Records of Wu 8, which contains the biography of Xue Zong, do not mention him either. Records, Wu 4 §41 · 51Records, Wu 7 §100Records, Wu 8 §63
In the Romance
In Chapter 42 of the Romance, Sun Quan sends Lu Su with gifts to Jiangxia to offer condolences on Liu Biao's death. When Lu Su asks Liu Bei about Cao Cao's strengths and weaknesses, Liu Bei tells him to ask Zhuge Liang, and Lu Su asks Zhuge Liang whether the Imperial Uncle now intends to stay here. Zhuge Liang replies that Imperial Commissioner Liu has an old friendship with Wu Chen, the Administrator of Cangwu, and intends to go and rely on him. Romance, Ch. 42 §30 · 33–36
Lu Su says that Wu Chen has little grain and weak troops and cannot even protect himself, so how could he take in others? Zhuge Liang says that although Wu Chen's place is not one where they could stay long, for now they will rely on him for a while and plan some better course separately, and Lu Su urges them to join hands with Sun Quan, who holds six commanderies. Zhuge Liang boards a boat with Lu Su and leaves for Chaisang; in the Romance Wu Chen appears only in this conversation. Romance, Ch. 42 §36–39
Where the Romance differs
Name: Chapter 42 of the Romance calls him Wu Chen. The biographies of Shi Xie and Bu Zhi and the memorial of Xue Zong in Chen Shou's main text of the Records all write Wu Ju (吳巨). Romance, Ch. 42 §36Records, Wu 4 §41Records, Wu 7 §71Records, Wu 8 §39
Old friendship with Liu Bei: In Chapter 42 of the Romance, Zhuge Liang tells Lu Su, who has come to Jiangxia to offer condolences, that Liu Bei has an old friendship with Wu Chen and intends to rely on him. In the biography of Lu Su in the Records, Lu Su meets Liu Bei at Changban in Dangyang and urges him to join forces with Sun Quan, and Wu Ju does not appear in the biography of Lu Su or the Biography of the First Sovereign in Chen Shou's main text. Romance, Ch. 42 §33–36Records, Wu 9 §42Records, Shu 2 §22–23
Character: In Chapter 42 of the Romance, Lu Su says that Wu Chen has little grain and weak troops and cannot even protect himself. Xue Zong's memorial in the Records records that he was a rash and fierce military man who would not submit to Lai Gong. Romance, Ch. 42 §36Records, Wu 8 §39
Affairs in Jiao Province: The Romance says nothing of what he did in Jiao Province beyond his being Administrator of Cangwu. In the Records, Liu Biao sent him as Administrator of Cangwu in place of the deceased Shi Huang, and he fell out with Lai Gong, who had gone with him, raised troops and drove Lai Gong out. Romance, Ch. 42 §36–37Records, Wu 4 §41 · 43
Death: In the Romance, Wu Chen does not appear again after the conversation in Chapter 42, and his death is not recorded. In the Records, Bu Zhi, the Inspector of Jiao Province sent by Sun Quan, humbled himself to ask for a meeting and on that occasion beheaded him and displayed his head. Romance, Ch. 42 §36–37Records, Wu 7 §72Records, Wu 4 §43
Written by 3KDEX (not yet reviewed) — The tags at the end of each paragraph link to the exact passage in the Records volume or Romance chapter it is based on.
Abilities
The Records score (Chen Shou’s Records of the Three Kingdoms, main text) is the baseline. Each ability compares how the Romance redrew the same person, and the evidence from both sources explains the difference.
Records total337 / 1000Rank 943 of 996 · Top 95%Romance total357 / 1000Rank 838 of 1,113 · Top 76%
Romance adaptation index+20Romance total − Records total
- LEA4535−10
- STR5035−15
- INT3035+5
- POL3330−3
- CHA3540+5
- VIR2545+20
- ADP2535+10
- SCH2831+3
- DIP3338+5
- DIS3333±0
Abilities shaped by the Romance — where it differs from the Records Differences of 10 or more
RXue Zong judged him a rash and fierce military manWu 8 §39
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as Administrator of CangwuCh. 42 §36
RRaised troops and drove out Lai Gong, Inspector of Jiao ProvinceWu 4 §43
NLu Su judged his troops too weak to protect even himselfCh. 42 §36
RHarbored disloyal intentions and was beheaded by Bu ZhiWu 4 §43Wu 7 §72
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as Administrator of CangwuCh. 42 §36
6 similar abilities — show evidence
RAccepted when Bu Zhi humbly asked to meet him, and was beheaded on the spotWu 7 §71Wu 7 §72
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as Administrator of CangwuCh. 42 §36
RNo direct record — estimated from his role as the Administrator of Cangwu appointed by Liu BiaoWu 4 §41
NLu Su judged that he had little grainCh. 42 §36
RNo direct record — estimated from his role as the Administrator of Cangwu appointed by Liu BiaoWu 4 §41
NLiu Bei, an old acquaintance, meant to rely on himCh. 42 §36Ch. 42 §37
RJudged a military manWu 8 §39
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as Administrator of CangwuCh. 42 §36
RNo direct record — estimated from his role as the Administrator of Cangwu appointed by Liu BiaoWu 4 §41
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as Administrator of CangwuCh. 42 §36
RNo direct record — estimated from his role as the Administrator of Cangwu appointed by Liu BiaoWu 4 §41
NNo direct record — estimated from his role as Administrator of CangwuCh. 42 §36
Records Romance Unverified No direct record; scored from their actions (evidence grade C)
3KDEX scoring — the Records use the main text of Chen Shou’s Records of the Three Kingdoms; the Romance uses the 120-chapter Romance of the Three Kingdoms. Click a source tag to open that passage in the reader.
Romance chapters (1)
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